


A shadow at my feet, a deer on my knee

by Illuminiuist



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst and Romance, Confused Nara Shikamaru, Dead Hokage squad, Deer, Dream Dimension Travel, Dreams and Nightmares, F/M, Haruno Sakura Sees Ghosts, Haruno Sakura-centric, Implied Sexual Content, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Plot Twists, Talking To Dead People, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-19 00:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29742141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Illuminiuist/pseuds/Illuminiuist
Summary: “Sakura Haruno,” he repeated. “Give me Shisui.”I sputtered, “- I- I can't.”His eyes narrowed. He jumped to the large rock, where both me and Shisui were. Slowly, he turned his gaze to his friend, picking him up. His breath became disheveled as he gazed intently at his face.“What are you doing here?” I questioned.“I believe that is my question, Sakura-san.”—So, I’ve been having some dreams. I see dead people, and... I’m pretty sure I’m from the future. The list goes on.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura & Nara Shikamaru, Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Shisui, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Itachi, other - Relationship
Comments: 5
Kudos: 45





	A shadow at my feet, a deer on my knee

The chirp of birds was what I had awoken to that day. I thought,  _ hey, this is nice... why are the birds singing? The birds never sing, _ I thought. The birds had fallen from the sky, once upon a time. They to the nicely fermented soil. That was normal. I had been confused, at first, but, then I came to a realization. The birds are falling, their freedom is falling, just as our troops. Falling. So why? Why did the birds sing? Why did I wake up to the sun, vibrant, was it always so? Why was the air so easy to breathe? 

But. That wasn’t the case. It shouldn’t have been, but I don’t know why. I don’t know _ why _ , I thought the birds were falling.

I groaned, emerged from my bed, and paced. I swayed tiredly around my room. My body felt strange, refreshed. My mind felt jumbled as if it were shifting and reconnecting in ways it hadn’t before. I opened my blinds, the harsh light pouring over me and my pink room. I squinted at the sun. And something within me told me to hide, that I couldn’t be so exposed, in plain days light like that! I had questioned my inner thoughts, and raised my hand, or, I reached out to the sun. My arm shadowed my face, and it made my mind twist painfully, like it wanted to hide from the looming shadow as if it were someone else’s,  _ —dangerous. Dangerous shadows? Who?  _

I had looked at myself in the mirror. My body was frail. Had I just noticed that? My stomach rumbled for food, but my head was pounding, and my body was overheating. It felt that way at least. So, I ignored the rumblings. I wonder what Sasuke-kun will think of me today, I thought. A small rumble halted me, but it wasn’t from my stomach. Had I been hearing things? 

“Good morning, darling! Did you sleep well?” The woman questioned. My  _ mother _ questioned. I walked over to the table. My dad was reading his newspaper, eating the maple syrup coated pancakes from his green dotted plate. 

“I slept ok. I have a bit of a headache though...” 

“Hm, that’s not good. Want me to take your temperature? A young lady such as yourself needs to be in tip-top shape!” I inwardly winced at her words. An almost palpable, warm feeling, but anger, bubbled In my chest. 

“No thanks, mom! Besides, I really can’t miss the academy today!” I had needed to be there. 

My mother smiled.. “Oh, right! It’s your graduation and exams today, isn’t it.” 

I nodded frantically. I would be on a team, assuming I was to pass. I wondered who I would end up with. It was just a hunch, but I had a feeling it would be Sasuke-kun. My mind said so too.

My mother frowned slightly in disappointment. “Oh, I’m so proud of you!” Something tells me you’re not. “Hold on, I want to give you something before you leave!” My head whirled. I was confused. Why did she have something to give me? It feels odd, like it’s something that shouldn’t be happening. 

She comes back with a small leather box, it’s hatches were gold, and the skin had strange, but elegant patterns. My dad sets down his newspaper. “We had planned to give you this a long time from now, but I feel like this is the right time, considering the situation.” She turns to my father. “What do you think, Kizashi?” She questioned, cajoling the man with just a glance.

“I think... it’s a good time to give it to her. I’m fine with whatever you’re thinking.” He responds. 

My mother’s face lit up in a grin I had never seen on her, she was practically shaking with excitement. She set down the box in front of me. “Ok, go ahead! Open it!” 

Albeit reluctantly, I opened the latch and slowly opened it. It was the horn of a deer. It was nicely buffered, and had a nice weight. “Thank you... what—what is this...?” I shake it a bit, surprised to feel a liquid sloshing back and forth. 

“You see, I got it from my father. And my father got it from his great grandparents. I just know you’re going to pass today. I’ll admit, I don’t approve of you being a Shinobi, not yet. But know that I’ll always approve of  _ you.”  _

**_It's in our greatest regret to inform you, Kizashi Haruno and Mebuki Haruno have passed away in battle._ ** _ My hands shake, my fingers dent and fold the letter. Dead. _

“-kura? Sakura...? Honey, is something wrong?” My head snaps to my mother. I squeeze the antler, hoping to clear my mind, and take a deep breath. 

“Yeah. Sorry. I’m fine... I just... thank you so much! I’m just feeling really happy you guys have me something so precious...” I lied. I was happy, though. For some reason, I felt the need to hide my little internal episode. And, it was very queer, to say the least. My mind played back on those thoughts, but they were too realistic. Memories that were filled with emotions.

“Really, Sakura. This is now yours. You may choose to use it however you wish. I personally used mine as a lucky charm. My father said to say this when I’m passing it down. I choose you to give this gift. The gift is yours to choose how you use it. That’s all, pretty much.” My mom looks to her husband, wanting his input.

“Like what your mom says. I know she doesn’t really... like, your career choice, but you should know I accept, and we both love and accept you as our daughter no matter what.” He says. 

I feel my head pound with each beat of my heart. A strong sense that this was something I was searching before in another place and time. “Thank you guys... thank you.” 

I felt a thanks was necessary. The odd antler, I had wondered how it could work as a lucky charm for my mother. It felt odd holding its end, it was like it was built by nature just to be wielded by me.

I walked to school that day. This day. I made sure to take an extra pouch that secured the deer antler snugly. When we took the exams, I found myself, at first easily doing it. That was usually what happened in writing tests. But as I continued, I found myself bored to no extent, and all the questions, I found myself thinking of alternative meanings. Just 20 minutes in, I hadn’t even noticed how tired I was. 

_ The smell was nauseating. I abhor that sent, I think. I look down at my body, it’s soaked with my own blood. I scan for overall injury’s. My spine is broken, as well as 5 fractured ribs, and, ironically, my right, dominant arm is just a stub. The arms muscles hang out, and pour blood to the concrete. The skin is torn down to the muscle up on my shoulder. It’s glossed In a thick, gooey red layer of blood, sweat, and other fluids, as well as the other disfigured chunks of skin trying to heal itself out of habit. _

_ I let out a pitiful choke. I hold the hand of Naruto. And look at Sasuke. His face is the perfect example of calm. His eyes are half-lidded, and his eyebrows are relaxed. It was an expression I had never seen on him. I guess you learn a lot about someone in death. So. I waited. I waited to die. I waited for my eyes to gloss over, and for the blue sky to darken. It did. And, for once. I felt completely relaxed, laying with my teammates. The sky went black _ .

“Sakura!” I snapped my head up, my eyes opened wide, and I let out a small gasp. 

“Iruka-sensei!” I had fallen asleep during the final exam.  _ Wow _ . Now that’s just plain  _ Impressive _ . Out of all the times I had to lose attention, and, fall asleep, it had to be  _ now _ , when it mattered most.

The dream of mine lingered, and Irukas chocolate brown eyes turned to ebony. I could feel the gazes of my classmates. They laughed. I felt like shrinking into myself. How can Naruto withstand this? “All of you, shut up!” The class quieted from Irukas roar. My breathing was disheveled. I turned my gaze to the corner of the class. “Please stay after class Sakura,”  _ No. No!  _ “Hey, I thought I told you to be quiet! Ahem! Alright, now that we’re finished with the written exam, we’ll move on to target practice. You’ve all been practicing all month, so I expect some good scores out of you. Ok, up first, Sasuke Uchiha!” 

My breath hitched. I watched him get up, kunai in hand. It made my own hand twitch. 

* * *

“Alright, good job, Ashiro. Up next, Sakura Haruno!” I got up from my seat, walking to the posts. I wasn’t too bad at these, but for some reason, I felt like I should be higher on the ground. I exhaled, and threw the kunai to the targets. 3 out of 10 landed. What? I got at least 6 out of 10 before... no... what if I actually fail!? 

Iruka looked constipated as he sent me back to my seat. “Hey, what’s with you?” I turned around. A certain Nara was peering down at me, his face tense. 

“What do you mean?” 

He scoffed. “You know what I mean. You're not great with the more physical practices, but that was worse than usual.” 

His eyes had a curious glimmer. Like something has caught his attention. “I don’t know...” I responded. 

“Whatever...” he mumbled. Even as I turned away, I could sense his intrigue, by the way his chakra rippled softly in curiosity, and slight annoyance.

“Shikamaru.

“Huh?” 

“Are you excited to get your team? I know I am!”

“Team? What the heck are you talking about? No one ever told us we’d be getting teams...” 

_ I thought we were going to be assigned teams... wait, no... weren’t we already assigned to them? _ “Oh... my mistake.” 

“I don’t care... what’s that pouch for?” He questioned. 

“Oh, it’s for my extra shuriken...” 

“We didn’t do the practices for ninja stars today, and you never had the pouch before today.” I grunted in response, like an internal joke was playing in my head. Shikamarus eye twitched.

* * *

“Sakura, you're one of my best students. You’ve never fallen asleep, or caused any trouble at all. And because of that, just once, I’ll allow an exception. You have 30 minutes to complete your written exam.”

* * *

I had never expected to fall asleep, just to hear the birds chirping. When I woke up, I was in a river, sinking and rushing away with the current. I gasped and choked on the water. When I had gotten out, by climbing onto one of the unstable rocks. The sky was grey, and cloudy. I looked up to a cliff, and saw someone falling back. They would die. Before I could stop myself, my body had rushed forward, with a speed I never knew I had, and caught the boy. His eyes were shut, but I could see how his eyelids were flattened, trails of dry blood trailing down his cheeks.

I reached out for his arm, but my hand slipped right through it. What?  _ How did I catch him?  _ I hadn’t the slightest idea what was going on, how I got here, or who this person is. Think Sakura, think! 

What is going on!?

Suddenly, I felt a presence a few feet behind me, presumably on the other rock. “Sakura Haruno.” I turned around. Itachis eyes were spinning with red, he was staring right at me, many things running through those eyes of his. His gaze flickered to the curly haired boy laying down next to me on the rock. I had many questions, but little to no answers. My first, and for starters, where am I?

I recognized this man. “Itachi-san,”

“Sakura Haruno,” he repeated. “Give me Shisui.” 

I sputtered, “- I- I can't.”

His eyes narrowed. He jumped to the large rock, where both me and Shisui were. Slowly, he turned his gaze to his friend, picking him up. His breath became disheveled as he gazed intently at his face.

“What are you doing here?” I questioned.

“I believe that is my question, Sakura-san.”

It happened in seconds.

His hand reached to my face. His eyes widened slightly, I flinched, and suddenly, I jerked up. I was in my room, the sun just peaking out.

I looked down at my body, the cold sensation of water gone.

That day, I had awoken to the chirp of birds.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! This will be exiting! Please leave kudos and comments! 
> 
> All feedback is welcome and will be taken into consideration. Also, the main pairing will be Itasaku, but you can recommend some others if you wish, I’ll have a look at them. <3


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